With an unbeaten 222 in his debut Test innings, Jacques Rudolph vindicated those who believed he had been a victim of reverse discrimination in South Africa. He overcame political obstacles to forge a sound international career, either side of a break to play county cricket.

In his first Test in Chittagong in April 2003, Rudolph shared a record-breaking, unconquered 429-run stand for the third wicket with Boeta Dippenaar. It was a delivery of promise long after he had forced his way into the South African squad in November 2001 by sheer weight of runs in domestic cricket.

A left-handed batsman who stands tall at the point of delivery with an upraised bat, Rudolph has pleasing footwork, balance and favours the cover drive. His Test debut was balm to the wounds Rudolph suffered leading up to his first entry to international cricket. Twice he was in line for his Test debut, and twice politics intervened. His first international experience came during the unofficial match at Centurion against India in 2001-02, in the aftermath of the Mike Denness affair. And two months later he was named in the side to face Australia at Sydney, but the UCB Board president Percy Sonn vetoed his selection on the grounds of racial discrimination, and Justin Ontong made his debut instead. He fought back strongly, if undemonstrably - an unbeaten 102 saved South Africa from defeat in a classic at Perth at the end of 2005, but 125 runs from six further innings, against the same opposition in a 3-0 whitewash at home, did little to boost his claims.

In January 2007, he decided to move to Yorkshire on a three-year Kolpak deal, suspending his international career with South Africa in the hope of redeveloping his game. He made 1078 runs in the County Championship at 56.73 in his first season and immediately extended his contract to the end of the 2011. In the next three seasons he made over 1000 first-class runs and it rekindled his appetite for the highest level. He left his Yorkshire deal a year early but did return as an overseas player in the second half of 2011, though he couldn't save them from relegation and signed for Surrey the following year. After a year off he returned to county cricket with a two year deal at Glamorgan and in 2014 made over 1000 Championship runs yet again.

Rudolph's first season back in South Africa was 2010-11 and was a huge success. He was the leading run-getter in the SuperSport series, scoring 954 runs in 17 innings for the Titans. His form continued into the 2011-12 season and he was rewarded with a recall to the South Africa Test squad for their home series against Australia. His second stint featured 13 Tests and a century in Dundedin but after a lean time in Australia in 2012-13 he was dropped and so ended his international career.
ESPNcricinfo staff

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